A no doubt grand adventure happens off screen, the finale of which is Bartimaeus showing up five minutes early - "Hey now, aren't you enthusiastic!" he says at the sight of her - wrapped in a nondescript new cloak with a pocket of pressed chalk.

They buy a room. The landlord asks them if they need any unmentionables. Somehow, neither of their skeletons leave their bodies at the suggestion and in ten quick minutes, they're clearing all the furniture in the room away to the walls. Bartimaeus stacks the side table on the bed for good measure. The cloak, evidently not a figment of his essence, is thrown over the chair in the corner.

"--as I was saying, it's really a very simple recitation. Summoning is difficult, but getting rid of us? It's in everyone's best interests to get that over with as quickly as possible. How well can you draw?"